What is the Hull Heat Network all about?

On the drive into Hull city centre from North Bridge, it is hard not to notice a new building on Trippett Street, next to Napoleons Casino.

It has an industrial feel to it, with a chimney-like structure on the side.

But far from being linked to heavy industry, this building will be the energy centre of the Hull Heat Network, which will produce low-carbon heat and hot water via a network of underground pipes to buildings in the area.

The BBC has been given access to the energy centre as construction work continues.

Heating pumps inside the energy centre, which will supply nearby buildings with low-carbon heat and hot water [BBC]

What will be turned into energy, and how?

Dave Raley is a senior construction manager for Vital Energi, which designed and is building the energy centre. It will also maintain the centre once it's up and running.

He explains that collectors located on the roof of the energy centre will draw down the ambient temperature into air source and water source heat pumps which are located within the building.

"The technology within the heat pumps turns that heat into a higher grade heat which, via the district heating pumps, is pumped around the network to serve the houses and buildings that are connected on to it," he says.

"There'll be no emissions coming from the building when the air source and the water source heat pumps are operational."

Work is due to be complete by summer 2027.

Roads have had to be closed in the city centre to allow underground pipes to be installed as part of the project.

Once operational, these pipes will carry hot water from Trippett Street to buildings such as the Guildhall, Hull College and Hull New Theatre, as well as private developments such as Albion Square.

Dave Raley, of Vital Energi, says there will be no emissions from the building when it starts operating [BBC]

The £42m heat network will be owned by Hull City Council.

It has received a £15m investment from the Green Heat Network Fund and the Levelling Up Partnership Fund.

It is also being funded by a loan of up to £27m from the National Wealth Fund which will be repaid through the operation of the network.

The project is the second local authority heat network to be backed by the National Wealth Fund.

Charles Quinn, the council's portfolio holder for the environment, says the project will make a difference to air quality in the city centre.

"It will reduce carbon emissions by over 100,000 tonnes over the next 40 years. That's the equivalent of 55,000 cars being taken off the road," he says.

"But we're seeing now, as transport becomes cleaner, gas boilers are becoming the leading cause of air pollution in a lot of cities.

"Buildings connected to the heat network instead will improve air quality locally in Hull."

Quinn also says it will provide a source of income for the local authority.

"The council will be providing heat to external customers, [which means there will be] more money to be spent on other council services, so residents will see improvement in other council services as a result."

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